I love the styling in Vogue Italia's May 2009 Glitter editorial. I love the feathers, I love the shiny jewels, I love the hats, model, and Christopher Kane's scalloped dress... What I don't love is fashion's continuing love affair with cigarettes. They are so non-essential to this editorial and I can't understand why they even bother. I didn't mean to single out Vogue Italia in particular, but this is just the first editorial that caught my eye today and I remember being annoyed by this many, many times before.
A good part the fashion world obviously isn't committed to health in any way whatsoever. Whether it's the promotion of cigarettes (in editorials or backstage) or the promotion of unnaturally skinny models, or calorie counting over nutrition counting, fashion obviously has some issues that need sorting out. I see a lot of finger pointing and it's getting old, fast. Every individual holds the choice to opt out if they don't like what they see. If they don't, they have only themselves to blame, really.
I think the defining moment came when I saw a photo of Laura Stone in Love magazine holding a carrot like one would a cigarette. I'm vaguely aware of seeing her smoke in backstage shots before, but just this one image completely made my day. How about that! Why not pose with a carrot instead? Or grass? Or nothing at all?
Image via hapsical.blogspot.com
Images scanned by Diciassette (17) from tfs.com
And a little fyi, the title of this post is a play on one of my favourite books (which I've mentioned once before on the blog): Never Be Sick Again - Health is a Choice, Learn How to Choose It by Raymond Francis, M.Sc. I'm driving my family and boyfriend a bit nuts already with my ranting about what a nutritious diet should be. Oh dear, looks like it has spread to the blog! My boy is probably reading this and laughing to himself.
10 comments:
this is brilliant and you are hilarious
that is all
Yessss!!!! You rule.
I am SO SO SO sick of seeing smoking glamorized in editorials. Not to mention it's completely antiquated.
You are so right. I don't get the smoking/glamour connection and never have. I'm going to look up that book you mentioned. Have you read The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food, both by Michael Pollan? I recommend both re: nutrition, food, the environment and highly readable!
I think cigarettes sometimes can 'finish' a picture, but you're right when it comes to this editorial: a cigarette doesn't contribute anything to the photos.
I agree on the carrot, now THAT would be glamorous.
It is unfortunate that fashion does not really correspond to health in any way, but I think it's also because there's a certain stigma attached to both, perceived and accepted by society. When I went to Sally Singer's presentation on eco-friendly fashion, Adriano Goldschmied (one of the guests) even explained that fashion can never truly be "environmentally friendly" because you are producing all the time, and that being "green" will take a long time to be truly "glamorous", which is what everyone sees fashion is (well not everyone but the unknowing majority).
Interesting post, and I'm going to look the book up the next time I stop by Chapters. Totally randomn, but do you know where I can get Quinoa in the city?
I'm with you on ciggies not being the healthy choice, but I did survive most of college on coffee, Slimfast, and cigarettes, so (while I've been smoke free for two years- yay) I do have some affinity for those pesky little sticks. I think they're excellent little props, though, and fashion does love it's props.
PS I like carrots more, anyway :)
-Allie!
missmaterialist.blogspot.com
im 100% with you. i think smoking is and looks absolutely foul and what's more its a fucking rude gesture. i always find myself shouting at people who are smoking on the street, especially if theyre walking upwind of me. the fact that its elevated to an aesthetic and that people do it thinking its attractive/nonchalant/bad/cool or whatever is just SO DISTURBING
i love arlenis. i am glad to see her getting more work.
haha. this is awesome. AWEESOME. i love your posts andsometimes i wonder why i blog as well. hmmm
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